60 + London Oyster Photocard

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide a breakdown, by year, of the real-term cost of providing the 60+ London Oyster Photocard since its introduction in 2012/13? Please also list the projected cost of funding this concession until 2024.

The Mayor: The 60+ photocard enables all London residents aged over 60 years of age to enjoy the benefits formerly provided by the Freedom Pass before the government decided to increase the age of Freedom Pass eligibility from 60 in 2010. The Freedom Pass eligibility age – which is set by Government - will reach 66 in 2020.
Table A contains estimates of the revenue foregone from the provision of the 60+ London pass since its introduction. This represents Transport for London’s (TfL’s) estimate of the fares that would be paid in the absence of the concession, accounting for an estimated reduction in demand if full fares were charged to this group. The revenue foregone includes journeys on all modes including payments to the Train Operating Companies for acceptance of the pass and is at RPI-adjusted 2019 prices. Estimated revenue foregone is reported annually in TfL’s Business Plan.
Table B sets out the projected figures based on TfL fares and population growth assumptions as set out in their recent Business Plan.

Spider maps

Andrew Dismore: I understand that TfL will no longer be providing spider maps at bus stops that have fewer than 5 bus routes or are not near a station. Surely this plan is ludicrous and is especially punishing on outer London, where there are many more older voters who do not use smart phones? Was this considered as part of the equalities assessment for this decision? Will you reconsider this decision?

The Mayor: Every bus stop in London normally displays information about the route it serves.
Spider maps, which give more information about the bus services in an area, can only be displayed at stops with a shelter and this applies to approximately half the stops in London. However, TfL research has shown that the use of spider maps has been steadily declining from just over 50 per cent of customers in 2013 to less than 1 per cent now.
TfL has therefore reflected this trend by reducing the number of spider maps it produces. There are still 224 variations being displayed at around 4,500 shelters, representing approximately 25 per cent of all stops. TfL has concentrated its distribution at areas served by five or more bus routes as it is thought that this will be most useful to those customers still referring to them.
Although TfL did put its proposed policy to TravelWatch, it did not conduct an Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA). TfL will retrospectively conduct an EqIA and share with you a summary of its conclusions. It remains the case, however, that the information previously available on spider maps continues to be available online, and comprehensive route information in the form of a timetables and/or multi-route panels remain present at every stop.

TfL Journey Planner

Jennette Arnold: Your written response to question 2019/20788 failed to answer why the TfL Journey Planner does not offer the 55/388 bus routes as an alternative route to the 48 for those travelling between Walthamstow Central and London Bridge. Instead users are encouraged to travel on the 55 to Lea Bridge Roundabout; 488 from Lea Bridge Roundabout to Dalston Kingsland Station; 149 from Dalston Junction Station to London Bridge. Please explain why TfL are not encouraging bus users to take the 55 to Mare St and change onto the 388 from Mare St to London Bridge.

The Mayor: The Transport for London (TfL) Journey Planner will always display the fastest route available at the time the request was made.At some times of day when the timetables line up, different routes can be displayed.
In this instance, according to the timetables provided by the Bus Operators to TfL, the 55 to Mare St with a change onto the 388 is longer than route suggested by Journey Planner. This is also affected by the 149 running more frequently than the 388, as Journey Planner also factors in the maximum likely waiting times.
However, TfL is always looking at ways to improve Journey Planner, and I have asked them to explore the option for customers to select both ‘fewest changes’ and ‘no walking’ within their Journey Planner preferences.

BME Officer numbers

Unmesh Desai: Please provide the total MPS Police officer (FTE) percentage breakdown of BME officers to total officers in December of each of the following years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) regularly publishes information on the diversity of its officers.
Please see the information held at: www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/workforce-data-report/